


In the Wake of the Odyssey, we Will Still be Thick as Thieves

by BlueHairedGrace1010



Series: Spark Squad [4]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Allusions to Decommissioning/Reconditioning, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brothers being assholes, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kaminoans Suck, Original Character Death(s), Pre-Canon, Pre-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, brothers being brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:15:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27056296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueHairedGrace1010/pseuds/BlueHairedGrace1010
Summary: Siblings often say harsh words to each other. Pillow needs to work things out with Ghost and Morale before they can all continue healing.
Series: Spark Squad [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884820
Kudos: 7





	In the Wake of the Odyssey, we Will Still be Thick as Thieves

**Author's Note:**

> Finally I'm back with something new for you guys! I'm sorry it's taken so long. Life has been really hectic lately and finding time to write has been difficult.
> 
> I'm honestly not too sure about this chapter. It feels a little bit rushed and this was a difficult part to right, but I needed to bridge the jap between the last chapter and the next one. Let me know if you guys think this wasn't up to my usual standards.
> 
> The title comes from the song, "Thick as Thieves" by Shinedown. Shocker, I know.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoy Part 4 of Spark Squad! It is unknown how long it'll be until Part 5, but keep your fingers crossed!

Pillow took a deep breath, forcing his foot to stop tapping against the ground of the barracks. When the sound of the rhythmic tapping stopped, Sketch looked over to his brother from his pod.

“You know I don’t care about your tapping, right?” Sketch asked, sitting up.

Pillow’s gaze went to his brother’s before rolling his eyes. “I know; I was just finding it annoying.”

Sketch raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. “Yes because you’ve shown so much in the past that you hate the sound of your foot tapping.”

Pillow stood straight, glaring at Sketch, who returned with a deadpan look. The stare down continued for several moments before Pillow gave up. “Whatever, I’m just a little nervous is all.”

Sketch hopped down from his pod, closing it and going to stand beside his brother. “About what, Pil’ika?”

Pillow’s foot started tapping against the ground again, not even bothering to mention the annoying nickname. “I’m gonna be talking to Ghost and Morale.”

“Did they ask you or did you ask them?” Sketch wondered, curious if Pillow had taken his advice.

Pillow’s eyes went to the floor, almost embarrassed. “Um, I asked them this morning before you came and sat down to eat.”

Sketch nodded. “Thought so. How did they react?”

“They said they both wanted to talk. They also both looked happy that I had approached them first,” Pillow replied.

Sketch smirked lightly. “So I was right?”

Pillow quickly shook his head. “You had nothing to do with it! You said nothing.”

“If I remember correctly,” Sketch started, still smirking, “it was I who advised you to approach them first because they might be grateful for the gesture.”

Pillow shook his head before muttering, “Yeah, fine. Whatever.”

Sketch nodded sagely, his smirk widening. “I told you so. Big brother Sketch knows best.”

Pillow groaned. “Please, I beg of you, stop.”

Sketch laughed. “Why are you so nervous? Obviously, they both want to make-up with you and seemed glad to do so. I haven’t seen Morale’s real smile for a while now, but I saw it a lot today. Ghost was also much more willing to be with us today.”

Pillow scoffed. “That was your doing when you talked to the three of us.”

Sighing, Sketch rolled his eyes and elbowed his brother. “Even before I spoke to them, they wanted to fix things with you. I can’t take all the credit.”

Pillow snorted. “Yes you can.”

Sketch grinned. “No, you’re right; I can take all the credit.” Then his expression became more serious. “Seriously though, they don’t want to keep fighting, Pillow. Just talk to them and see how it goes.”

The foot tapping became more intense. “But what if they change their minds?”

Sketch gave his brother a sympathetic look. “Then we’ll all have to deal with it. Just know that I’ll still be here.”

Pillow smiled lightly, the tapping slowing and leaned slightly into Sketch. “Thank you.”

“Thank you for what?”

Both Sketch and Pillow turned towards the entrance of the barracks, seeing Ghost and Morale approaching them.

“He was just thanking me for the picture again,” Sketch quickly covered, giving them a smile.

Morale nodded, but Ghost narrowed his eyes. “Really?”

Pillow quickly nodded. “Yup. I just really like the reminder of our relationships in the picture.”

Ghost still looked suspicious, but an elbow from Morale and he dropped the subject.

Sketch looked between the three of them. “Well, I’ll leave you guys to it.”

“Sketch!” Pillow hissed.

Sketch smiled lightly at him. “You’ll be fine. Trust me, big brother Sketch knows best, as we’ve already demonstrated.”

Pillow glared at him as Sketch left the barracks. Sketch made sure to wave at Ghost and Morale as he made his way to the exit. “Where will you even go?”

Sketch paused at Morale’s question. “I just have something to take care of in medical.”

“Medical? But you don’t--”

“Oh never mind, he’s already gone,” Morale interrupted Ghost’s confused question.

The three brothers stood in awkward silence for a few minutes, the only noise being the sound of other brothers standing away from them and the tapping of Pillow’s foot. Pillow was looking at the ground, the tapping becoming rapid once again. Ghost was slowly rocking on his heels, staring at Pillow. Morale had his arms crossed and was staring at the ceiling.

Morale was the one to break the silence, turning towards Pillow. “So, you said you wanted to talk?”

Pillow took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. “Yeah, I think we have some things to work out.”

Ghost nodded. “We do. Thank you for coming to us.”

“Uh, yeah, no problem,” Pillow replied. The awkward silence continued for several more moments. “Okay let’s just get this over with.”

The other two laughed, trying to break the tension. “Agreed,” Morale said.

Pillow looked at the ground. “I’m sorry we all argued. We should’ve stuck together and fighting wasn’t helping us.”

“That’s true, Pillow, but I started it,” Ghost added.

“You may have started the argument, but it’s not your fault for what I said to both of you,” Pillow said, staring him in the eyes.

Ghost looked away from Pillow, but nodded. “I know, but I’m sorry for starting the argument. I shouldn’t have been focusing on your tapping and asking you to stop _your_ coping mechanism.”

Pillow smiled at his brother. “It’s alright and I forgive you. _I’m_ sorry for basically calling you a bad brother. We were all on edge and I didn’t have to retaliate like that.”

Ghost returned his gaze to him, smiling lightly. “You didn’t, but I understand. I kind of did the same thing, so I would be a hypocrite if I held it against you forever.”

Pillow snorted and rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t blame you if you did. I always seem to say something wrong and ruin everything.”

“That’s not _completely_ true,” Morale cut in. “Sometimes, when trying to avoid dealing with your feelings, you take your sadness and turn it into anger. Then you either bottle it up or say something stupid you’ll regret later.”

Pillow flinched and looked down. “Yeah, I said something incredibly stupid to you Mor’ika.”

Morale smiled awkwardly. “It’s okay, Pillow.”

“No, it isn’t Morale!” Pillow looked at him, eyes blazing. “I called you a _failure_ , khi’vod and blamed you for Duke being taken away; you can’t forgive me just like that! I don’t deserve it! Don’t think I didn’t see how much you were pushing yourself to the brink because of what I said!”

When Pillow stopped ranting, both Ghost and Morale were staring at him, slightly in shock. While both had had a good idea about how Pillow had felt about the situation, neither of them actually expected him to _say_ it.

Morale walked over to his brother. When right in front of him, he placed both of his hands upon Pillow’s shoulders. “Pillow, can you listen to me? And I mean _really_ listen to me?”

Pillow nodded shakily and looked his brother in the eyes, not deserving to hide from this.

“I don’t hate you for what you said,” Morale started, “and I never did. Was I angry? Yes. Was I hurt? Yes, but I _never_ hated you and I don’t think I ever could. Me overworking myself was not just because of you. I won’t deny that your words played a small part in blaming myself, but me just being who I am played a _much_ bigger role, vod. I was going to blame myself regardless, just like Du—uke was always going to stand up against _them_. I’m forgiving you because you’re my brother and I love you more than I want to have this distance between us. Besides, do you really think that, if he were here, Duke would want us turning on each other at a time like this?”

Morale stopped talking, regaining his breathe from talking. Pillow’s eyes were filled with tears and he was softly sniffling, but he refused to look away from Morale’s eyes. Ghost was smiling at the two of them, eyes slightly wet.

Morale moved a hand from Pillow’s shoulder to his cheek, gently wiping away the tears. “I love you, vod’ika, and I don’t want to lose you to this. I don’t want to lose another brother. I don’t want to be alone.”

“You won’t be,” Pillow sobbed. “You’ll always have Ghost or Sketch... Me as well I guess; if you want me.”

Morale laughed wetly. “Of course I want you, di’kut. There’s only ever going to be one Pillow in my life. Besides, if you aren’t around, who’s going to be _my_ personal pillow when I’m sad?”

Pillow didn’t laugh, just continued sobbing. “Can I—Can I hug you, Mor’ika? Please? I—I think I need a hug.”

Morale’s heart broke and his expression softened. “Of course, Pil’ika. C’mere.” He gathered his brother into his arms, placing his hand on Pillow’s shaved head and pressing it into his neck.

Pillow hugged Morale close to him, not wanting to let him go, muttering over and over, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Tears fell down Morale’s face. “It’ll be okay, Pil’ika. I promise. We’ll make it through this. Together, just like brothers should.”

Pillow nodded into Morale’s neck before adding, “G—Ghost can join too, if he wants.”

Ghost looked reluctant. “I don’t know. It looks like I would be intruding.”

“You wouldn’t be,” Pillow muttered.

Morale scoffed. “Get over here, Ghost’ika.”

He smiled, walking over to the pair and wrapping his arms behind Pillow’s back, putting Pillow in the middle of the group hug.

The three stayed like that, standing and hugging in the barracks, until more brothers started to come back. Sketch was not among them.

“It must be getting close to lights out,” Ghost said.

Pillow shifted for his position, his sobbing having calmed down by now. The three disengaged from the hug, all of them having to wipe their eyes. “Guess we’d better get some sleep. I think we all need it.”

Ghost and Morale both nodded. “Agreed.”

Pillow smiled at the two, turning to go back to his pod, sad to be alone. Before he got far, he felt someone grab his wrist. He turned back to face Morale.

Morale smiled, trying to add some levity to the situation. “You know, I was completely joking when I was talking about you being my personal pillow.” He glanced around, before whispering, “Could we share a pod for now? I don’t think either of us wants to be alone.”

Pillow went to agree, before turning to Ghost. He didn’t want him to feel left out.

Ghost smiled. “Go for it, you two. I think you should spend some brotherly bonding time together, anyway.”

Morale snorted while Pillow snorted. “Night, Ghost’ika.”

“Sleep well you two,” Ghost ordered, before going to his pod.

Morale and Pillow smiled at each other. They went to Morale’s pod, Morale climbing in first, followed by Pillow. Pillow pulled him to his chest, hugging him close and Morale rested his head on him.

“You’re so much more comfortable than the pod,” Morale blissfully said.

Pillow rolled his eyes. “Considering how uncomfortable these are, that’s not a compliment.”

Morale poked him in the side. “Shut up and take the compliment, Pil’ika. Don’t ruin the moment.”

Pillow smiled as he settled down, closing his eyes. “Don’t call me that. You know I hate it.”

He got a smile back. “You got it, Pil’ika.”

Pillow felt his eyes grow heavy. His was only the beginning and there would be much more to work on. Somehow though, he knew they would be okay.

Before he fully fell asleep, his mind reminded him that he hadn’t heard Sketch come back. He attempted to stay awake to listen for him, but he lost the battle; falling asleep before his eldest brother returned.

**Author's Note:**

> FanFiction.net: Blue-Haired-Wonder
> 
> Tumblr: blue-haired-grace
> 
> Wattpad: Anahita-Acada


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